Chris Botti in Boston features trumpeter Chris Botti along with a bevy of name artists performing live with the Boston Pops Orchestra at Symphony Hall in 2008. Fully documented as a concert film and album, the night is an intimate and soulful birds-eye view of the supple-toned trumpeter who has grown into his role as [...]
Vanessa Falabella was born in the state of Minas Gerais (which has produced many Brazilian musical legends including Milton Nascimento), Vanessa sings everything from traditional samba and bossa nova, to jazz, MPB (Brazilian popular music), R&B, and soul. Born into a family of actors, writers and painters, the Brazilian native started as a child, doing [...]
Sometimes making music is all about the mechanics – balancing the melody with the harmony and the rhythm, making sure the tempo is right from the beginning of the song to the end, matching the right vocalist to the story within the lyrics, knowing when to come in with the solos and when to hang [...]
This is Emilie-Claire Barlow’s seventh album, entitled “Haven’t We Met?”, is defined by her impeccable diction and song-stealing solos by the likes of guitarist Reg Schwager, pianist Dave Restivo and trumpeter Chase Sanborn. Barlow is an astute technician with a decent scat who shows off her eloquence in English, French and Portuguese. The Toronto singer’s [...]
The world’s top Latin jazz ensemble comes roaring back with this exciting new release, which finds them going back to their roots with excellent new treatments of jazz and Latin jazz classics, such as Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island,” Freddie Hubbard’s “Crisis” and a medley of classics from Willie Bobo. Also features a pair of brand [...]
Freshlyground is a South African Afro-fusion band that was formed in Cape Town in 2002. The band members are from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Stylistically, Freshlyground incorporates elements of traditional South African music (such as kwela and African folk), blues and jazz, as well as features of indie rock. The lead singer is Zolani [...]
Amazon.com Review Brazilian bossa nova has been called the “whisper heard around the world.” But when a small cadre of Rio-based intellectuals mixed American jazz with local sambas, little did they know that it would prove so durable. The initial international craze, spearheaded by Astrud Gilberto’s version of “Girl from Ipanema” (Garota de Ipanema) and [...]
Fabulous debut CD, 10 June 2003 By A Customer – Amazon.com Review Justin really displays the range of his abilities on this debut CD. “Sorry” and “Be a Heartbreaker” have an urban hip-hop feel that many may not expect from Justin. He brings in an R&B vibe with the sensual “I Saw Your Face” and [...]
True Love. With these two perfectly chosen words, Jessy J has, in unveiling the title of her second Peak Records release, captured the blazing emotions of her legions of fans across the U.S. and Latin America who made her the breakout genre star of 2008. “After the success of Tequila Moon, it was inevitable that [...]
This album was my first exposure to both Lee Ritenour and Wes Montgomery. Who could ask for anything more? Ritenour gives a stunning tribute to one of the greatest jazz guitarists ever to fret a chord. Montgomery always seemed to be playing effortlessly while always keeping the listener entertained by his rhythms and solos. Ritenour [...]
